The Dangers of Citizen Journalism

Aldon Hynes at orient-lodge points to an important story about how the NYPD stole a video camera from a "Citizen Journalist" at a demonstration.

On October 30, 2006 at a demonstration protesting the murder of journalist Brad Will in Mexico, members of the NYPD assaulted an independent videographer and stole his videocamera.

That's right, stole. The filmmaker, FluxRostrum, was not arrested. He did not receive a receipt for seized property. He was not even directly asked for his camera. Instead, without any warning, he was jumped by two police officers, one of whom is an NYPD captain, and knocked down onto the asphalt of 39th Street. One police officer was succcesful in wrenching the camera out of Flux's hands. As Flux crawled around on the ground looking for the eyeglasses which had been knocked off his face during the attack, the cop with the camera quickly conferred with another officer. Then he ran off to hide the camera.

The big problem for the NYPD here: They forgot to steal the video evidence of their theft and assault from other people with cameras at the demonstration.

The video is worth checking out and demonstrates the need for Citizen Journalists and video Bloggers to take precautions and always watch each others' backs when they are in politically charged situations.

[update]The YouTube videos:




Who is FluxRostrum?




Courtesy of Scarce at MLN

Could they insult Glen Renolds anymore than this?

If I were Glen Renolds I would be mighty pissed that someone had the gaul to put somethig I wrote up as a comparison to his work in their take on the McCain/Schumer war on Blogs:

CoolAqua:
"But what really scares me about this affront on Internet liberty is that it is all wrapped up in a package called "child pornography"; the public will probably clamor for this bill. Is this right out of Karl Roves play-book or what? Ralph Reed used his evangelicals to take out competing casinos, and now McCain will try to use these same people to try to take out bloggers, in the name of child pornography.

Doesn't this seem to be somewhat of a Trojan Horse?

Here's what the right wings Glenn Renolds at Instapundit says:

I've given the bill a quick read -- text here -- and it doesn't seem entirely clear to me that it doesn't reach individual bloggers, regardless of intent.

And from the left, here's Connecticut Man of Booman Tribune:

This could wreak havoc on sites like Booman Tribune, dKOs and other big communities. Nevermind the fact that little Blogs like your Blogspot could end up shutting down completely. How many of us can afford a $300,000 dollar fine?

This is what Cnet said:

After child pornography or some forms of "obscenity" are found and reported, the Web site must retain any "information relating to the facts or circumstances" of the incident for at least six months. Webmasters would be immune from civil and criminal liability if they followed the specified procedures exactly.

Internet service providers already must follow those reporting requirements. But McCain's proposal is liable to be controversial because it levies the same regulatory scheme--and even stiffer penalties--on even individual bloggers who offer discussion areas on their Web sites."

Not that Renolds is particularly good at what he does (How good can you be when you have to write stuff for the Bush cheerleader faction at instapundit? Bush just doesn't give you much good news to work with) BUT even I realize that CoolAqua must have really wanted to insult Renolds to put his quote up beside the ranting and ravings of this here lunatic...

And for that I will thank CoolAqua for their outstanding effort in going above and beyond when it comes to informing their local readers in a fun and educational way. Maybe I will give YOU the award as Time Magazine's Person of the Year! heh

[update]I think I should give My Floating Worlds the award, as well, for having the good sense to leave me wondering whether I should be insulted or just Glen Beck... Either way, they would likely be correct.

Does AA make you stupid or is it just Glen Beck?

The 2006 Weblog Awards

A quick look at some of the top winners in The 2006 Weblog Awards:

Categories
Best Blog	Daily Kos
Best New Blog	Lesbian Dad
Best Individual Blog	The Bleat (James Lileks)
Best Humor Blog	Sadly, No!
Best Comic Strip	Least I Could Do
Best Online Community	FARK
Best Liberal Blog	Think Progress
Best Conservative Blog	Little Green Footballs
Best Centrist Blog	The Moderate Voice

Topic Area Categories
Best Media Blog	The Raw Story
Best Technology Blog	Engadget
Best Sports Blog	Kissing Suzy Kolber
Best Military Blog	Blackfive
Best Law Blog	The Volokh Conspiracy
Best Business Blog	Club for Growth
Best LGBT Blog	Pam's House Blend
Best Parenting Blog	Breed 'Em And Weep
Best Educational Blog	Michael Bérubé
Best Science Blog	Pharyngula
Best Medical/Health Issues Blog	Respectful Insolence

If your Blog didn't take any of these great awards this year you can take solace in the fact that "YOU" won Time Magazine's Person of the Year. You don't want to get too greedy, do you? Your participation in Blogging and your other internet activities have made you worthy of your important award. You deserve to take a bow for your great efforts.

As for this great honor, I am in the same camp as Jon Swift who wonders "Why You and not Me? What have you done that deserves this honor more than I do?"

Oh well... Maybe I will win next year? :)

A Fighting Dem

(h/t Peace Garden)

It couldn't happen to you...

Could it?

"American guards arrived at the man’s cell periodically over the next several days, shackled his hands and feet, blindfolded him and took him to a padded room for interrogation, the detainee said. After an hour or two, he was returned to his cell, fatigued but unable to sleep.

The fluorescent lights in his cell were never turned off, he said. At most hours, heavy metal or country music blared in the corridor. He said he was rousted at random times without explanation and made to stand in his cell. Even lying down, he said, he was kept from covering his face to block out the light, noise and cold. And when he was released after 97 days he was exhausted, depressed and scared.

Detainee 200343 was among thousands of people who have been held and released by the American military in Iraq, and his account of his ordeal has provided one of the few detailed views of the Pentagon’s detention operations since the abuse scandals at Abu Ghraib. Yet in many respects his case is unusual.

The detainee was Donald Vance, a 29-year-old Navy veteran from Chicago who went to Iraq as a security contractor. He wound up as a whistle-blower, passing information to the F.B.I. about suspicious activities at the Iraqi security firm where he worked, including what he said was possible illegal weapons trading."

Former U.S. Detainee in Iraq Recalls Torment - New York Times

(h/t Cabin Girl)

Forget your rights as an American citizen. At least, that is what the criminal bush administration would like for you to do.

Because Insurgent Minds Want to Know!

Remember when the US government put the manuals for building nuclear weapons on the interntnet?

Not only did Republicans put this dangerous information out there on the internet (already in Arabic to ensure the ease of use by middle-east terrorists) BUT they forced this to be put out there in their desperate attempts to link Saddam Hussein to Al Qaeda. A link that never existed:

The director of national intelligence, John D. Negroponte, had resisted setting up the Web site, which some intelligence officials felt implicitly raised questions about the competence and judgment of government analysts. But President Bush approved the site’s creation after Congressional Republicans proposed legislation to force the documents’ release.

And these are the idiot Republicans that claim to keep us safer?

It seems that they are at it again, this time telling the enemy how we will fight them.

Iraqslogger:
New Counterinsurgency Manual Hits Net

Why is the DoD Making it Available to Insurgents,Terrorists? Your IraqSlogger editors are stunned that the Pentagon has released to the entire world and posted on the Web the U.S. military’s new 282-page counterinsurgency..."

You can read more here.

As bush puts off the decision of how he plans to fail next in his "New Way Forward" for Iraq - floating the unrealistic trial balloons of sending more troops in the meantime - remember these catastrophic decisions that our right-wingnut leaders have been proven to make over and over again.

Blogging 'set to peak next year'

First there is Peak Oil, Connecticut seems to have reached Peak Electricity, then we have Peak War Frenzy (US soldiers have had it and are on a major downcurve in support), and now we have Peak Blogging:

BBC NEWS | Technology | Blogging 'set to peak next year':

"The analysts said that during the middle of next year the number of blogs will level out at about 100 million.

The firm has said that 200 million people have already stopped writing their blogs."

snip

Gartner analyst Daryl Plummer said the reason for the levelling off in blogging was due to the fact that most people who would ever start a web blog had already done so.

He said those who loved blogging were committed to keeping it up, while others had become bored and moved on.

You better get your Blogshares before the market goes go crazy from the Blog shortage! You might be surprised how much your Blog - or a link from your Blog - is already worth. (If only it was real money and not a game! lol)

Now... If you are looking for something fun to do: Get over to ePluribus Media and check out what the flakes that post there are up to right now... :)

Daily Kos: Where NOT to Work if You are Gay

A quick guide from the Human Rights Camapaign:

Where NOT to Work if You are Gay
The Human Rights Campaign has released it’s "Buying for Equality 2007" ratings.

It’s a guide we GLBTs can use when job hunting. (And this is not trifling issue. In 33 states, you can still be fired for being gay; in 43 states, for being transgendered.)...snip...

The two "0" scores are:

• Exxon-Mobile (Esso).


• Meijer

Only five companies rated at the next worst level, score 15:

• Nestle Purina (Alpo, Beggin’ Strips, Fancy Featst, Friskies, T Bonz).


• H. J. Heinz Co. (Clasico, Ore Ida, Smart Ones, Weight Watchers)


• Nissan North America (Infiniti). (NOT to be confused with Toyota Motor Sales USA; Lexus Scion, which scored 90)


• Bayer (Aleve, Alka-Sletzer, Femstat 3, Midot, One-A-Day, Flintstones Vitamins)


• Cracker Barrel Restaurants

Other "Red" companies (rating 45 and below) are: HERE in daulton's diary at dKos.

There are also links to the full guide if you want to read it.

Right Partisan Thoughts on Dodd

As you listen to JimK talk about Kerry and Dodd's planned visits to the Middle East:

Right Thoughts - Dodd Plans Trip To Middle East:
"I’m far more concerned with the idea of two Senators from an opposing party blatantly and openly undermining the sitting President in matters of foreign policy. This kind of behavior has consequences that go well beyond the next two years of Bush’s term.

It’s time to get past this cheerleading for the Dems or the GOP and start thinking about how this dirty political pool is affecting the way we can govern this nation going forward."

Well JimK, when are you going to get past the partisan political cheerleading? You are real quick to paint Kerry and Dodd as having undermined the president and even suggested they are breaking laws, even though the fact is they have not and will not break any laws on their trips.

But if you were really being honest about the paritsan cheerleading your diary would have mentioned the treacherous and traitorous Republican Specter:

Nelson said he reported the information to embassy officials and will brief his congressional committees on the trip. Also expected to visit Syria is Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa..

"We don't think that members of Congress ought to be going there," White House press secretary Tony Snow said, adding that the United States continues to denounce Syria's meddling in Lebanon and its ties to terrorist groups.

It is highly appropriate that Tony Snow starts off the sentence there with "We don't think...", obviously a common problem on the right side of the aisle. If you are going to make a big stink about the Democratic politicians supposedly undermining the president then you show absolutely no bi-partisan spirit by ignoring Arlen Specter. You are just cheerleading against Democratic politicians, and are far more partisan than the people you complain about.

About the only thing that hits the mark in JimK's post:

As I also stated, Bush clearly allowed this (via the State Department) because he’s afraid to tell two Democrats they can’t go. Congress and the press would descend like vultures on a corpse. It’s more evidence that his status as a lame duck is pretty much confirmed…

Yes! Mr. Bush is a lame duck... But he is happy they went, though he is too much of a wimp to admit it in public, and Mr. Bush is praying that those bi-partisan politicians can save his sorry little partisan-GOP-ass.

heh

The Cover Up of Rell's Moody Period

Garfield only released part of the story:

Report: Top Rell Aide `Misled' Committee:
"Gov. M. Jodi Rell's chief of staff, M. Lisa Moody, 'misled' a legislative committee by giving sworn testimony that was 'not credible' regarding a Rell fundraiser last year, according to a draft copy of a new legislative report.

The report, obtained Wednesday by The Courant, also says that state elections enforcement chief Jeffrey Garfield should face 'some form of reprimand or censure' because he deleted important information from an investigative report and released the unedited version only after hearings were completed last spring."

Just in case you follow the FIC line of thought and didn't know, misled is another word for LIED, as for Rell's original reaction to her Moody Period:

Moody was suspended by Rell for two weeks after admitting that she handed out invitations to commissioners on state time. Her actions led to seven days of often-contentious legislative hearings in May. Sixteen of Rell's commissioners or deputies were fined $500 each to settle a case under a state law that prohibits those officials from soliciting campaign contributions from their subordinates.

The 14-page report quotes Moody as telling at least one senior staff member, "I am not twisting your arm, but I am," regarding the fundraiser.

The report also states that Moody told one deputy commissioner that "this meeting isn't happening" and another that "it's after 5" - meaning that the workday was officially over for state employees.

Also, we all know that "she testified at a legislative hearing that she did not fully read an ethics memo that it turned out she had edited." But I am betting there are alot more juicy details in the full unedited report that was released in a redacted (lying) version.

Go over and read it at the courant to see some of the reccommendations to stop this sort of waste of our government employees time. As for now I'll leave you with this last little snippet:

The report calls for Garfield's censure or reprimand because his investigation report deleted certain facts that the committee never knew about until after the hearings were closed. That included deleting the chief state's attorney's "interview notes" from two investigators who had spoken to Rell late last year, and deleting all references to DPUC Commissioner Anne George, "who kiddingly referred to Ms. Moody as `John Rowland.'" [...] Dan Moreland was said to have told investigators that when Moody handed George the fundraiser invitations, George responded, "Are you nuts?" George then told Moody, "OK, John Rowland" - a reference to the former governor who served a federal prison sentence on a corruption-related charge.

Goes to show that even the insiders know that Rowland politics are alive and kicking in the Governor Rell's office. As for Garfield, if he absorbs the bulk of the blame in the cover up of Rell's Moody period, wouldn't that make him the political equivalent of a used tampon? Time to trash him...

Rangel Did Not Say That?

Oh! Yes he did...

NYO - News Story 1:
"“I never understand that question,” answered Charlie Rangel, the incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. “You have a President that’s in deep shit. He got us into the war, and all the reasons he gave have been proven invalid, and the whole electorate was so pissed off that they got rid of anyone they could have, and then they ask, ‘What is the Democrats’ solution?’”"

Yes, it is sad that they only gets around to asking the Democratic party members their opinions AFTER they have just completely and totally handed the GOP the biggest political ass-whooping in the last half-a-century... And, yes, it is sad about the fact that those same Democratic members couldn't even get air time to be asked those questions until Mr. Bush was wading in "IT" up to his neck. This is what exemplifies the pitiful state of the MSM today.

McCain has Gone COMPLETELY OFF THE DEEP END!

This isn't about child porn... This is about shutting down the Blogosphere. That's it in a right-wingnut-shell. That is all there is to say. McCain has completely and totaly lost his effin' mind.

"Because "social-networking site" isn't defined, it could encompass far more than just MySpace.com, Friendster and similar sites. The list could include: Slashdot, which permits public profiles; Amazon.com, which permits author profiles and personal lists; and blogs like RedState that show public profiles. In addition, media companies like News.com publisher CNET Networks permit users to create profiles of favorite games, gadgets and music.

"This constitutionally dubious proposal is being made apparently mostly based on fear or political considerations rather than on the facts," said EFF's Bankston. Studies by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children show the online sexual solicitation of minors has dropped in the past five years, despite the growth of social-networking services, he said."

Not only will the left blogosphere start pounding him on this BUT the right-wingnuts will spazz out on this in their typical fanatical fashion. CT Bob has already found some signs of the twitching in right-wingnutosphere.

Think Progress has more on this:

– Commercial websites and personal blogs “would be required to report illegal images or videos posted by their users or pay fines of up to $300,000.”

– Internet service providers (ISPs) are already required to issue such reports, but under McCain’s legislation, bloggers with comment sections may face “even stiffer penalties” than ISPs.

— Social networking sites will be forced to take “effective measures” — such as deleting user profiles — to remove any website that is “associated” with a sex offender. Sites may include not only Facebook and MySpace, but also Amazon.com, which permits author profiles and personal lists, and blogs like DailyKos, which allows users to sign up for personal diaries.

This could wreak havoc on sites like MLN, dKOs and other big communities. Nevermind the fact that little Blogs like your Blogspot could end up shutting down completely. How many of us can afford a $300,000 dollar fine?

Imagine MLN or dKos if they had to turn off the comments features for fear of one person adding a link to the wrong address? The entire freeflow of thought that has built the left's internet think tank would effectively be muzzled. And how the hell do they stop this in other countries? They can't enforce this here unless they cut the American internet off from the rest of the world.

The moronic McCain has just surpassed Kerry by a longshot as the biggest joke in the Blogosphere. Unlike Kerry's botched joke, McCain has willfully chosen to commit political suicide. I guess that will makes him the punchline too!

And if that isn't enough they are also attacking us from everywhere on other Blogging issues! Kidspeak has an excellent piece on how the politicians (on both sides) will be taking the failed federal attempts at muzzling us down to a state level in "Net Neutrality: Strangling netroots state by state." Figure the odds that "we see the political power of the netroots begin to be strangled, with the fine help of a DLC-approved Democratic governor."

We have to pay close attention to these issues. We will only get one shot at stopping all of this madness and after that the Blogosphere as we know may cease to exist.

{Edited to reflect 2 previous updates from CT Bob and Kidspeak for readability]

Al Qaeda in Space

Break out your light sabers, hop into your X-Wing fighters, and put on your tinfoil helmets because Galactic Al Qaeda warriors in outer space are the next big threat that is supposed to scare the pants off of you!

"The Bush administration warned Wednesday against threats by terrorist groups and other nations against U.S. commercial and military satellites, and discounted the need for a treaty aimed at preventing an arms race in space.

Undersecretary of State Robert G. Joseph also reasserted U.S. policy that it has a right to use force against hostile nations or terror groups that might try to attack American satellites or ground installations that support space programs.
President Bush adopted a new U.S. space policy earlier this year.

"We reserve the right to defend ourselves against hostile attacks and interference with our space assets," Joseph said in prepared remarks to the George C. Marshall Institute."

Space: The distance between bush's big floppy ears... Who is the conspiracy nut now?

Poll out of Iraq & The GOP's Failure

32%
want out in less than 6 months

25%
want out in less than a year

57%
of Americans
don't even want to wait as long
as the Iraq Study Group proposes.

Fifty-three percent of Americans think the Iraq war was a mistake. Is anyone surprised that bush has put off any decisions about what to do next when the incompetent one's support has just dropped to an all-time low:

"Just 21 percent approve of President Bush's handling of the war, the lowest number he's ever received, and an 8-point drop from just a month ago. Most of that drop has been among Republicans and conservatives."

Yep! even his base is rejecting his politics.

And all of this hot on the heels of the realization that not only did the Democratic party sweep the corrupt GOP out, but the Democratic party did it on a grander scale than the GOP ever managed to do during the entire "Republican Revolution":

I don't think it's sinking in enough with the Beltway pundits, how large a victory the Democrats have achieved. So, here's a fact that everyone should know, use, spread, and just generally internalize:

The Democrats have more seats in the House right now than the GOP has had since the "do-nothing" Congress of 1947-1948, more than at any point in the Gingrich years that are seen as such a dominant GOP era.

snip

Now, the numbers ... the Democrats, after Ciro's surprise thumpin' of Bonilla last night, now have 233 seats in the House. After the 1994 election, the GOP had 230, which drifted down before rebounding some in the last couple years and peaking after the Texas redistricting in the 232 they had last Congress. But the Democrats overcame all that redistricting shenanigans to post a larger majority than the Republicans had during all that time of the "Republican Revolution."

The great conservative experiment called the Republican Revolution failed miserably. We all have to be vigilant in ensuring that the Democratic party does not fall into the traps and temptations that spurred on the GOP's miserable demise. A demise that they show no signs of recovering from anytime soon.

We need to drive on pushing harder for the Progressive agenda that has transformed American politics in this Liberal Evolution.